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When to Schedule a Lung Cancer Screening

When to Schedule a Lung Cancer Screening

Early detection remains one of the best tools in successfully treating lung cancer. That’s why our team at Stat Care Pulmonary and Sleep recommends routine lung cancer screenings for high-risk individuals.

Ashok Tyagi, DO, CPE, and Himanshu Chandarana, MD, use the latest diagnostic technologies in-office to diagnose lung cancer early so you can start treatment without delay.

Lung cancer overview

Lung cancer develops when cells in one or both lungs divide abnormally. The cells continue to grow, eventually forming masses (tumors) that block oxygen flow to and from the lungs.

The most common type of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer, which includes squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. Small cell lung cancer is a more aggressive but less common form.

Lung cancer occurs more often in older people but can affect people of any age. Smoking is the primary risk factor for various types of lung cancer.

Exposure to environmental toxins, pollution, and certain chemicals can also increase your risk of lung cancer, especially if you frequently work with cancer-causing substances.

In the earliest stages, lung cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms. For this reason, preventive cancer screenings are essential. Without treatment, lung cancer can progress and cause a chronic cough that produces blood, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath.

Recommendations for lung cancer screenings

Stat Care Pulmonary and Sleep offers routine lung cancer screenings for adults that include a chest X-ray and low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans. These tests help identify abnormal cells and tumors in the lungs before complications arise.

Early detection and treatment prevent the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. Early-stage lung cancer may be easier to treat with minimally invasive therapies than advanced cancer.

Typically, our pulmonary specialists recommend annual lung cancer screenings for people 50 and over who currently smoke and those with a history of smoking 20 packs of cigarettes or more in a year. You should also schedule a screening if you quit smoking in the last 15 years.

Before age 50, if you experience symptoms like a chronic cough or shortness of breath that relate to lung cancer, our providers discuss your options for cancer screenings and other diagnostic tests.

Don’t put off an evaluation. Existing cancer can spread outside the lung and become more difficult to treat.

Preparing for your first lung cancer screening

It’s normal to be a little anxious about your first lung cancer screening. Our Stat Care Pulmonary and Sleep team helps you feel welcome and comfortable throughout the process.

A chest X-ray is noninvasive and takes just a few minutes to capture images of your lungs while you relax on an exam table. The LDCT scan requires that you lie on a movable table that slides into an X-ray machine.

Our providers review the images to check for signs of cancer in the lungs or surrounding tissue. If there are concerns, we may request additional testing or discuss your treatment options.

If your scans are clear, our staff helps you schedule your next lung cancer screening. We can also provide resources to improve and protect your lung health.

Call Stat Care Pulmonary and Sleep in St. Petersburg, Florida, today to schedule your lung cancer screening. 

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